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WHAT IS HAPPENING? Revamp? Spin-Off? S21? - Laying Down All The Facts about "Big World! Big Adventures!"

July 25, 2017

New posts have thrown the fandom into confusion as something called "Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!" emerges, July 25th - firstly from a kids TV website called Worldscreen. ThomasNATION lays down all the facts we have - let's break it down!

14th October 2017 is set as the date of the debut of this series / season. It all began with a Worldscreen post that declared a series called "Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!" It was clear that a French media company called "MIP" will be debuting this content on their pre-school platform, "MIPJunior" in October. Revealed at a huge French media festival in Cannes, - hosted by MIP, Mattel Junior's new series is all about making "Thomas & Friends content more entertaining, inclusive, meaningful and global, whilst ensuring all the favourite characters and storylines that fans around the world love remain at the heart of the action." as quoted by Mattel’s Chief Content Officer, Catherine Balsam-Schwaber.

The key-word of what she said was "We are delighted to receive a World Premiere TV Screening at Reed MIDEM’s MIPJunior, which is the perfect platform to showcase our newly-refreshed series." Newly Refreshed. What could that possibly mean? More below.

The official MIP press release covered the following points: “Thomas & Friends™: Big World! Big Adventures!” (26 episodes x 11mins)sees iconic train engine Thomas traveling farther than ever before, taking kids on a journey of wonder and curiosity as he adventures around the world to experience new countries, learn about other cultures and, of course, make new international friends along the way. The show will have a more contemporary feel and increased, global appeal for preschool viewers."

Moreover, it said: "audiences will also enjoy seeing several aspects of the show that have been evolved to appeal to contemporary viewers: An all-new format series, faster-paced plots, increase in humour, more action and adventure-based storylines with several new fantasy and musical elements."

Now, before we tackle all those points deeper, let's try and figure out what the series actually is:

> Chief Content Officer - Newly Refreshed Series

> Director of MIPJunior - New version of Thomas & Friends

> Press Release, last line - MIPJunior delegates will be amongst the first to see the full, remarkable makeover of Thomas & Friends™ plus many more surprises at the World Premiere onSaturday 14th of October 2017 at 18:00followed by the official opening party.

So, we see "Newly Refreshed", "New version" "remarkable makeover" - it all seems more and more like a revamp. Would this maybe-revamp be considered as Season 21? Would it even be cannon? Would Season 21 and "Big World! Big Adventure" be different? The new name dubbed to the series also hints at that. It remains completely unknown what this would mean. Or should mean. Yet, all the hints go to a revamp.

That's when an old article comes to picture, where Christopher Keenan worded a new "series" in the making - hinting at a spin-off. Yet, on July 9th, Melad Melshiri - who has strong inside sources - said this through the SiF blog: "There is no spin-off. It was the way [Keenan] worded it... It is merely the continuation of [the next] Thomas series, and special a year, but Thomas evolving."

This may be hinting at the series Keenan talked about, but it was never supposed to be about "Big World! Big Adventures!" - (?) - because it is surely not Season 21... or is it? Becuase BWBA is 26 episodes, like the last season.

Throwing yet more into the confusion about the future, SiF recently said in a tweet that "Its not Season 21." They're still looking for info, like all of us.

The most plausible explanation would be two of these: either a revamp, or Season 21. Another fact is that even Journey Beyond Sodor displayed Thomas going out of his home and far, (even Great Race) - was that a hint towards making that the core of Thomas?

While all this a confusion, let's take a look at what we do know - Thomas is going around the world. That could be a bad thing or a good thing. Good, if it remains true to its roots and doesn't abandon other characters, and doesn't introduce new characters just becuase they could be colourful, sell merchandise and make Thomas appeal to new countries - which has been Mattel's strategy. Bad, if all of those things happen. It seems like Option two. This series seems so much like Mattel Creations trying to make more money, by expanding the franchise to new countries - by actually putting them in the show. Like Mattel trying to sell more merch in other countries and its main target countries by introducing new international character which are just colourful and have no plot or character (cough, Great Race, cough) - its all worriying.Yet, there's a chance it could be the best thing for Thomas. There's a chance that this could be a beautiful concept which would bring Thomas to newer and greater heights...(but that's all our opinion.)

Also, say Season 21 is just as fabulous as Season 20 - and this is a side spin-off? That would be better. Is it though? We're not sure.

New seasons usually would have premiered in the UK by now. 21 hasn't. Its all hinting towards a revamp and not necessarily good.